Narrative:The Bandeirante cargo plane departed Porto Alegre (POA) at 20:45 on a flight to Joinville (JOI). The en route part of the flight was uneventful. The airplane was cleared for a Echo 1 arrival, which included turning to QDR 356 degrees over the JNV NDB beacon, heading towards the PP NDB. The minimum descent altitude was 770 feet. The PP NDB was inoperative at the time of the accident. Over the JNV beacon the crew selected PP. Because this beacon was inoperative, their instruments indicated a heading of 051 degrees towards the PP beacon at São Paulo-Congonhas. The crew did not notice the incorrect heading. They continued their descent below MDA and collided with a hill at an altitude of 300 feet.

This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path. Distance from Porto Alegre-Salgado Filho International Airport, RS to Joinville-Cubatao Airport, SC as the crow flies is 478 km (299 miles).